Waist To Height Ratio Calculator – Assess Your Lifestyle Risk

Body mass index (BMI) is an index widely used to define obesity. BMI does not always accurately indicate the degree of fatness. The degree of central fat distribution may be more closely tied to metabolic risks than BMI. Measurement of the degree of central fat distribution thus appears to be important for the early detection of subsequent health risks, even among those of normal weight. Waist-to-height ratio (W/Ht) corresponds better to metabolic risk than BMI.

*PLEASE NOTE: It’s important to avoid going by BMI alone since it’s not the most accurate form of measurement for lean, fit and healthy individuals who carry additional muscle mass. One of the best ways to receive an accurate reading of body fat is to use one of the effective methods like a Bod Pod, water displacement and DEXA scanning.

Waist To Height Ratio Calculator

Height :

feet
inches

Waist :

Gender :

Result

Your Waist-to-Height Ratio is
:

How
to interpret Your Waist-to-Height Ratio

MEN

Ratio less than 35: Abnormally Slim to Underweight

Ratio 35 to 43: Extremely slim

Ratio 43 to 46: Slender and Healthy

Ratio 46 and 53: Healthy, Normal Weight

Ratio 53 to 58: Overweight

Ratio 58 to 63: Extremely Overweight/Obese

Ratio over 63: Highly Obese

WOMEN

Ratio less than 35: Abnormally Slim to Underweight

Ratio 35 - 42: Extremely Slim

Ratio 42 to 46: Slender and Healthy

Ratio 46 to 49: Healthy, Normal Weight

Ratio 49 to 54: Overweight

Ratio 54 to 58: Seriously Overweight

Ratio over 58: Highly Obese

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59 Comments

I’m at first disturbed by the choice of descriptors for what should be a healthy weight, especially attractive. Then I’m put off by the fact this is as unrealistic as the BMI. I lift weights and have a thick body so I thought I would try this only I would need to lose ten pant sizes to be attractive. I would be skin and bones and lacking muscle which helps a person in the long run to be healthy.

You’re correct, the BMI is not the most accurate form of measurement and has several flaws, the biggest being the lack of taking into consideration the level of lean muscle mass on an individual’s physique. We have added additional information to this page to make our readers aware of this.

The ‘attractive’ thing disturbed me too, body shaming works both ways and some people naturally don’t fall in the healthy category. So they are not attractive then? I do not think it should say it as it is placing ideals on people, maybe just leave it as healthy? I used to have an athletic build with decent muscle as I worked out a lot but currently I am being treated for anorexia so I am underweight.

LOL. I’m 5’9.25″ weigh 202 pounds and have a 31 inch waist with my chest and hips being 10 inches bigger than my waist. This calculator said I was “slender and healthy”. I beg to differ as my body fat is slightly overweight category (one or two percentage points and I will be within the healthy range), my BMI is almost in the obese category (obese with some BMI calculators), and my measurements put me into a size 12 (one more size and I’m in plus sized territory). My weight says people should be manning their harpoons! I then entered my waist measurement from before I had children and weighed 150 pounds (26 inches) and a BMI of 22. It said “extremely slim” even though my BMI was in the healthy range. Now if my BMI were say 17 to 19 at the time when I had a 26 inch waist, I would agree with that label. Honestly, the labels for the waist measurements should be changed. Currently, mine should say “overweight” and the latter calculation from when I was at a healthy weight should say “healthy”. Unless I’m built weird and have a Disney waist but as far as I know, I don’t as no one has ever commented on my waist size. Before I get any nastiness for my weight, I would like to note that I’m working on it and am making progress.

Hi Stephen – Your natural waistline is located above your belly button and below your rib cage. Just bend to the side and the crease that forms is your natural waistline. That is the location where you will measure.

Your waist is a couple inches above the belly button where your body tapers in the narrowest before it starts to swell out above the hips. Your belly button is typically a couple inches below the waistline.

Recent studies show that BMI is inaccurate by category in almost 50% of cases, with women in general being diagnosed as up to a full category higher than they are actually are. Now, I think that you’ve got a very unusual body type, so this calculator won’t work for you. I’m 5’7″ and have a 29″ waist, which make us in the same category, with very similar numbers, but I’m about 50 lbs lighter. And I’m considered pretty hourglassy, with about a 4-6 inch difference between waist to hip/ribs. I’d say do what your doctor says and if you’re overweight and working on it then all the power in the world to you! Good job!

I’m 13 years old, 5’3″ and I have a 31 inch waist. When I became obese I was surprised because every other part of my body is slim and healthy with muscle tone except for my stomach. I run each day and do floor workouts too. I’ve cut junk food out of my diet and noticed my body has become slimmer except for my belly, which is still the same. Any more advice? I can’t seem to lose it. Thanks.

It doesn’t really sound like your “obese” from the stats you provided and the description of your physique. If you have well-toned muscles and just a little fat on your stomach, this should not be a huge issue to resolve. Just increase your cardio to 45-60 minutes each workout (5-6 days per week) and really look closely at your diet. It’s great that you’ve cut out junk food but there are many other items in your diet that could be major culprits in your journey to a fit physique. Check out our Nutrition 101 article for a list of nutrient dense foods to include in your diet. You should also include abdominal training exercises 1-2 times per week to target your stomach and overall core muscles.

You could be eating too frequently. Each time you eat it spikes your insulin. This is most likely why the belly is still there. Look into intermittent fasting (IF). I’m 5’2” and struggled to get below 125 pounds and my belly stayed around 32 inches. Using IF, I’ve been able to stay at 120 pounds and my belly is now 29-30 inches. I’ve been extremely happy with the results! I turned 50 this year and I’m in better shape than my 14 year old niece! Good luck 🙂

Brittany – The calculator provides a general guideline and should not be taken as a definite indicator of your overall health or physique. It’s always best to get a detailed body fat analysis (hydrostatic weighing, DEXA scan, BodPod) to accurately determine your lean muscle mass to body fat ratio.

I am a 16 year old boy. I’m 5 foot 4 and my waist is 35 inches. I know I am not super overweight but my softening pot belly is turning into a big gut. At the start of November, my waist measured 32 inches. I was overindulged at Christmas stuffing myself silly and I gained most of the weight but also noticed a few pounds creeping on before then. I’m really starting to notice my extra inches now as I barely managed to squeeze into my school trousers on the first day back. My belly was spilling over the waistband and I had to lift up my belly to see my belt. I have gained 15 pounds since September and I’m starting to worry about my ballooning waistline. Do you have any weight loss advice to help me?

Hi Sean – Remember that most people overindulge around the holidays and it’s never too late to get back on track and make healthy changes. I recommend reviewing our weight loss success stories for great insight into what to eat and how to train to successfully lose weight and keep it off.

Hi Olivia – This calculator just provides a general calculation. If you’re healthy and just very petite then this ratio should be fine for your body type. The best thing is to have your body fat and overall health measured by a professional and they will provide feedback about whether or not you’re too thin.

Hi Lili – This depends on your several factors like your height and weight. Some people are naturally very slim due to their genetics and metabolism. If you eat a healthy diet and you’re active but just have a petite physique then it should not be an issue. However, if you’re undernourished and drastically cut calories to lose weight then it’s definitely not healthy and you should consult with a specialist to assist you.

Hi Ash – Our calculator only provides a general measurement and assessment. Since everyone’s body is different, you need to assess your own physique and level of body fat along with your general health. If you have excess fat in your stomach then you should get your body fat measured by a professional. This way you can get an accurate reading and make the changes necessary to lower your body fat levels in order to get a slimmer stomach.

Hi Saqlain – Our calculator is used for a general reference guide. You should be able to enter your information to get the results. Whether the results are “normal” totally depends on your current level of fitness and body fat percentage. The most accurate measure will be through a fitness professional. Two people with the same stats may be drastically different in terms of body fat and lean muscle mass.

I’m 15 years old and I play basketball, soccer, track and cross country year round. Is my waist too large for this many activities and could it have something to do with my diet? I have a 28″ waist. I’m 5’3″ and weigh 111 pounds.

Hi Jaelyn – You probably should be more concerned with your performance on the field and your level of body fat. If you’re doing well in all of your sports and you’re lean then it doesn’t really matter what the size of your waist is. Your stats indicate that you’re very petite so if you have any concerns about your current physique, you might want to get your body fat tested at your local gym. This will be a great indicator if you need to lose fat or not.

I just got back from a doctor’s appointment (about my asthma) and the nurse weighed me. I was horrified to be told my current weight! I’m a 5 ft 6 female, 33 years old, vegan, and I swim like 5 miles a week and run about 15 km. I used to be fat as a kid and was bullied mercilessly, so I’m pretty sensitive about putting weight on. I just checked on some online BMI calculator and it had me at 24, which is pushing too close to the “overweight” category for my liking, but then I found your site. I just put my waist measurements (28 inch) into your calculator and it came out as “Slender and healthy”, so now I feel a bit better! I had a look at the “Ideal Weight” calculator too though and it had my ideal weight as being 139-143 pounds and that’s for a “large” frame but I think I’m more a “medium” which is considerably lower than the 150 pounds I am now. How were the “ideal weight” levels calculated? I’m trying to decide if I should try to go on a diet or not. I don’t want to be one of these people who lets the weight creep on in their thirties!

Hi Bunnydaft – The calculator only provides a general analysis of your current physique and health status. The formula for the calculator is based on average figures for this type of waist-to-height calculation. Each person is different so it’s very important not to take BMI, Waist-To-Height ratios and other calculations as the be-all end-all. Many factors, like lean muscle mass, can change the calculations widely since a bodybuilder who weighs 250 pounds with 5% body fat will probably show up as “Overweight” on a BMI calculation. So, it’s important to analyze your own current physique. One of the simplest ways is by taking photos of yourself in a bathing suit each week and tracking your progress. Forget the numbers on the scale. The mirror test will tell you much more. Look into a mirror with your clothes off and look at the level of body fat around your stomach, hips and thighs. If you’re packing on fat around these areas, it’s time to make some changes. If you’re firm and tight then it doesn’t really matter how much you weigh, your BMI or your waist-to-height ratio, etc. Just try your best to keep it simple.

I’m 18 years old and my waist is 26 inches. My height is 5’5″ and my waist-to-height ratio is 40. Is it okay? I don’t think that my waist is super slim but the calculator categorized me as “extremely slim”. my BMI is 8.

Hi Afff – The best thing to do is measure your body fat percentage using an accurate method to see if you’re carrying too much on your body. The ratios are just a general guideline so don’t get too fixated on them.

Ii find this height to waist calculator and results pretty accurate for the average person. Of course results will vary depending of factors like if you have a muscular body, etc. Experts say your ideal waist size should be no more than half your height in inches. If greater, you need to lose some belly fat. If less, either stay the same or lose some belly fat depending on how you want to look. I prefer when people have a little bit of weight on them but are by no means fat or overweight. I classify this as neither fat or skinny, but just right.

I first put in my smallest waist size from when I was starving myself and weighed 95 lbs. It said I was “slim and healthy”. At age 18 I was 5 feet tall and 95 lbs with a 26 inch waist. I don’t think my waist could have been any smaller than that. Then I put in my current waist size which is 33 inches. I’m now 41 years old and weigh 140 pounds. It told me that I was “seriously overweight”. I’m pudgy but I really only need to drop 20 pounds to be in prime health and I will have a 29-30 inch waist. Even at my thinnest I had no real waist definition. It seems like this doesn’t take the differences in body shape into consideration. My daughter is 5’0″ and has an hourglass shape and outweighs me by 20 lbs.

Hi Leticia – It’s important to remember this calculator only provides a general overview of waist to height information. Each person’s body is different so you should always take your own specific body size, shape and statistics into account when analyzing your physique. You may want to visit your local gym and have a certified personal trainer take your body fat percentage and other body measurements to determine your current level of fitness and overall physique.

Hi Ailen – Your own body image and the perception of how your physique looks is within your own control. Feel fortunate that you have a body that people will actually comment on in a positive way and try your best to see yourself as beautiful 🙂

I’m 6’4″ and currently have a waist size of 51 inches. I weigh 290 pounds. I’m trying to get an estimate of how much weight I need to lose to get down to a waist of 40 inches. Knowing how much weight I need to lose will give me the incentive I need. I know there are multiple factors in waist size vs. weight, but given my current stats, is there a way to estimate how much weight I need to lose?

Hi Tom – That’s a tough one because most people tend to lose weight from different areas of their bodies. Some hold weight in their stomachs so even if they lose 50 pounds, they might still hold fat on their abs and their waistlines might only decrease slightly although the rest of their body looks much leaner. Other people hold weight in their thighs and butt which causes issues when trying to drop pounds and inches. If we had to give you a “guesstimate”, then a reduction of 11 inches in your waistline might be anywhere from 50-70 pounds but could be even more when taking other factors into account.

This calculator displays a very general guideline of waist-to-height ratios, so please only take it with a “grain of salt”. Your height and weight seem pretty normal but in order to make sure, it’s always important to get your body fat measured to see how much muscle vs fat you have on your body. Go to your local gym and ask them to use the “fat calipers” on you to get a baseline of your percentage. That’s the best way to see where you’re at in terms of overall body composition.

I’d like to comment on a few things. It’s just a general estimate calculator of your waist to height ratio. You can use 5 different body fat calculators or anything else that measures your body stats and get different results. The point is there is no need to stress out over this waist to height ratio calculator. Get your body fat checked out by a professional to really know what it is (or do it yourself). I find this calculator fairly accurate. I am 6 feet 4 inches tall and weigh around 220 pounds with a 36 inch waist (maybe closer to a 37″) and it says I am at a normal, healthy weight. I did put some muscle on which is more dense than fat plus it increased my body weight. Most calculators on other websites tell me that I am overweight. Granted, I do have a little belly but I’ve always had one 🙂

I find this calculator to be off. It underestimates how fat people are. I am a 6 feet 4 inch tall guy and even with my waist being 40 inches, this calculator tells me I am at a healthy and normal weight. My waist is currently around 37 inches which I feel is just right. I am neither fat nor skinny, but normal. When my waist was larger and I was fatter, it was around 38-39 inches and I felt fat.

I could be wrong but this calculator is flawed for the average body. The average person with somewhat of a gut, but not that big, this calculator underestimates them. It tells them that they are at a healthy and normal weight. In reality, they are slightly overweight and need to lose a few pounds and/or a few inches off their waist. Myself, for example, a male at 6’4″. Even with my waist being 39 inches, this calculator tells me that I’m at a healthy and normal weight. My ratio is 51.32. In reality, my waist is too big and I need to lose a few pounds. According to health guidelines, your waist size needs to be less than half your height in inches and a waist-to-hip ration under 0.5 to be considered healthy. The average American likes this calculator, but is in denial of their waist and overall weight problems.

The problem with waist to height is that it does not take a few things into account like age and genetics. I’m not exactly sure how it works on a man, but on a woman, their body proportions change as they age, especially the waist. I’m not talking about “adding a few pounds” as you age. A woman can weigh the same at ages 18 and 55 and possibly have been athletic all those years, but their waist size and body dimensions will change, especially if they have had children. I know a few women who are my age that have phenomenal shapes and can still rock bikinis (unfortunately, I am not one of them, mostly due to stretch marks and saggy belly skin). I think it is awesome that they can still do it, but even they will admit that they don’t have the same body shape as when they were younger.

Your information seems to make sense to me as I weigh 143 pounds, have a 29″ waist and stand 5’7″ tall. I’m a man and battled the bulge all my life. Now I exercise daily and eat carefully and have lost 26 pounds in 6 months. I feel and look great at this size and intend to stay this way now. I’m 64 years old and now I feel more like I’m 40! Anyone can do it once you make the commitment to yourself!

I think you have a great website, but I would take age into consideration with your calculator. I read that age affects the desired number. The result for me came out at 50 for my ratio which put me at “overweight”. I am far from being overweight. I am nearly 67 years old and I’m an athlete. I have really strong muscles. Yes, I have a tummy but at my age I believe that is healthy. My doctor tells me I am exactly where I am supposed to be, so please add age to this so older people don’t feel discouraged.

I’m 5 ft 7 inches and weigh 114 lbs. I look like a bone rack but have abdominal fat that won’t leave me. I eat a therapeutic LCHF. I’m underweight according to my doc and specialists, but this thing says I’m overweight. I am not overweight.

Hi Grannie Vee – Then you’re just fine 🙂 This calculator just provides a general idea of your current state. Other than getting feedback from your medical specialists (which is #1), a great way to access your current level of body composition is to simply stand in front of your bathroom mirror naked and assess your body. You will quickly find out if you need to lose body fat, gain muscle, etc.

Hi Kole – If you have any concerns, the best thing to do is ask your parents to make an appointment with your doctor and ask for a full physical to be performed so you can be sure you are fine and healthy.

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